1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is associated with a data structure of a feature guidance information for providing guidance on a feature when a movable body is moved to a predetermined guidance position located ahead of a feature in a moving direction of the movable body toward the predetermined feature, a recording medium storing the feature guidance information, a navigation device, a navigation system, a navigation method, a navigation program and a recording medium storing the navigation program.
2. Description of Related Art
A communication navigation systems conventionally known are that acquires a map information stored in sever units via communication by using mobile communication terminals such as an in-vehicle or portable navigation device, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System), and a portable personal computer so as to search for information on a current position and a route to a destination, and to retrieve information on shops nearby (refer to prior art 1: Number of Published Japanese Translation of a PCT Application 2001-519029, on pages 6 to 28). In such communication navigation system, since the management of the map information with a large amount of data is centralized at the server unit, the mobile communication terminal need not to have a storage for storing the map information, thereby simplifying the structure, reducing in the size and the weight and readily providing the latest map information. For the purpose of smooth operation and the management of the data, the map information is constituted by a plurality of digitalized map files that are divided into a plurality of areas.
The communication navigation system disclosed in the prior art 1 appropriately acquires the map information as well as the travel route; provides guidance such as “get off at next exit 2 km ahead” when a moving vehicle, for instance, is moved to a predetermined position located ahead of a predetermined interchange; and navigates the travel of the vehicle. In such navigation, an actual feature such as the interchange and a guidance position to provide the guidance on the feature are respectively associated with position information in the map information, for instance, a node representing a point. When the vehicle is moved to the node position, the associated guidance information is output for providing the guidance.
The communication navigation system disclosed in the prior art 1, however, needs to acquire information such as the position information of the guidance position and the guidance information as well as the travel route and the map information from the server unit. Therefore, load for sending/receiving the information or for processing of the in-vehicle terminal unit can be increased.